Problems with my Symphony II

[AlexStanley]

Guys,

Looking for some opinions here, based on other people's experience of the Symphony II, all based around the radio.

- Travel reports: don't get any. Even if I have TP switched on, I can drive for weeks without getting interrupted by a travel bulliten, which strikes me as rather odd

- RDS doesn't retune: if I drive from area to area, listening to somethink like Radio 1, I have to manually retune the radio to Radio 1, which in my opinion defeats the object of RDS

- Listening to AM (both Long Wave and Medium Wave in 'old speak') is impossible. If I tune in to a radio station that is definitely there (eg. 909, 693 or 198) I can hear the station but it's blocked out by whistling and whining. Now I know that AM is inherently susceptible to interference, but it strikes me that there is *too much* of the stuff...

So. In a nutshell those are my problems.

Any ideas anyone? Is the unit b*ggered? Is it the aerial?

 

[AlexStanley]

Yep I can tell you what this is - you've got TP switched on, and the stereo is basically informing you that the station it's tuned to isn't broadcasting any TP - simply switch it off and you'll be fine /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[AlexStanley]

[ QUOTE ]
MarkS said:
Sounds like it may be the aerial or connection to it.

This would explain both problems as you don't get a clean enough signal to pick up the out of band RDS information that controls the retuning and traffic announcements and the AM performance is crap.

First thing is probably to pull the unit out and check the connection on the back, beyond that it's probably going to need an audio specialist to check the cable and or aerial.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cool - isn't there a signal booster for the aerial on the A3 too? Is there a fuse for it?

I might try and have a look tonight, providing there's enough daylight...

 

[marksyms]

Signal booster? Maybe, if there is I didn't know about. Time to go have a look myself I guess. I only have one of the old Gamma units so it's different anyway.

The general principle applies though, in that it looks like you are getting a bad radio signal into the headunit and so it can't do the clever bits only the standard radio type things.

 

[MingBluS3]

another common problem with all Audi stereos is that after time and constant volume control movement the dial becomes too sensitive and jump from say 8 to 18 and cannot be adjusted correctly, both my s3's have done the same thing and luckily still under warranty.. I do turn the volume up and down quite a bit, but still for that money the head units should be able to handle usage..

I've not had one last me more than 2 years without the volume control getting [censored] up

 

[ben]

my concert header unit has the volume control issues too. The dealer gave me 2 options, send the unit off and diagnose the problem for an initial £25 fee and then in addition the repair cost or swap the unit for a second hand recoditioned one for £125. Has anyone had their header unit sent off with the same problem? if so how much did it all come to?
What I should of asked was how much to swap for a header with a cd player (is this a symphony?) rather than tape. Anyone know of any issues with this? I havnt listened to a music tape for about 6 years and its a right pain ratting around in the boot when you just want to quickly listen to something.
Anyway I'll have to do something soon, I swapped my concert header with the same one from my dad's A8 as a temporary fix. He's home from holiday soon and will hit the roof when he finds out I've stolen his stereo.

 

[AlexStanley]

Just leave yours broken one in your Dad's A8 then deny all knowledge /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[MingBluS3]

Audi Docklands did it for nothing under the warranty.

 

[S3_MCD]

[ QUOTE ]
Alex Stanley said:
Right, need someone with the relevant CDs to have a look at something for me if poss?

The dealer has changed the roof aerial which has made no improvement to FM reception (retuning etc.), but has improved AM signal quality.

The mechanic tells me that the FM aerial is part of the rear window heating element, and that there are boosters attached to it which create some kind of virtual square or something.

Anyway, I digress.

I've noticed that when the temperature reaches -2 or below, and it's been wet, then it works properly! This leads me to think it's a loose connection or something, and the ice resulting from the cold temperature is bridging a gap somewhere.

Feasible? Probably not /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

What I need to know before I start taking my car apart is whether it is true that the rear heating element is the FM aerial?

Can anyone help?

Thanks

Alex.

[/ QUOTE ]

Alex - I would recomend calling western car radio in bristol, when in comes to car audio they really know their stuff.